What's What in the Garden Today

After that grumpy-toes post of two days ago, and having a bowlful of wild blueberries this a.m. - the taste equal to their dear price - I wanted to show some of the little bits and pieces that are making the garden beautiful.  I cannot remember another year when we had such green extending through late July and into August.  So fortunate considering we had all that construction and so much of the garden was out of my reach while the fellows were hard at work.

ok - so not a pretty bit, but as you know, I show the good with the bad - and I'm wondering if I cut this Hypericum back a bit too much.  Found that it was living the highlife on its fringes and when the wind blew its sad interior was completely naked.  Fingers crossed this will work and all will be well again and all those little fuzzy bits that the bees like to stomp in will be back in short order.  No worries though, as it's a day of sunshine and lollipops, I'll just look at it as perfect real estate for something new and fabulous.

Ran into Richard Birkett yesterday - just had to tell him how wonderful the Deutsia is doing.  He had an irrigation system in his extensive garden - I don't.  But this year, with all the rain, it's like this Deutsia  never left home.

The garden is trending to pink - all the phlox are at some stage of bloom.

This has the most delicious dark pink/magenta/plum shade that doesn't come across in photos - so you'll just have to believe me.

Some of the petals are rounder.

Others a little more squared.

Some are the colour of the most perfect nail polish.

Nothing like a cool year on the heels of a hot one for abundant germination of ornamental grasses.  Look at that sneaky Chasmanthium lurking behind the Phlox.  It made a 20 meter jump from where it started.

Marvin of Empipe assures me that while he sees an access to a sewer pipe as a positive thing, he understands that I don't and has agreed that he will take the pipe down to a foot below the ground level and backfill with good soil.

This is a really happy colour.  The bees are having a delightful time with the Verbascum blossoms.

Signs that we're sliding into fall - the Hydrangea quercifolia is pinking up.

The late blooming Salvia glutinosa has started to bloom.  A quiet sort of plant that does really well in dry shade.

And the Italian Bush Beans from Renee's are producing.   Combined with a little olive oil and garlic - they are spectacular.

I was thinking that I might try to take a cutting of this Hydrangea I like it so much.  Wonder if it would work?

More often than not, birds leave plants you're not all that fond of.....but look at what I've got:  Looks like a Cercis canadensis to me.

A photo of the bed with the big plants:

Proven Winners Oso Happy Candy Oh - blooming for the second time this season.

Which is right next to the Hydrangea I'm thinking I want more of.

One picture just isn't enough when you're this pretty.

And just one more of the hard-working cherry tomatoes - nothing from the Mighty 'Matos just yet, so these little treasures will have to keep me going until the BIG harvest.